Repair nozzle

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a repair nozzle for dispensing adhesive and/or sealing materials, utilized in the motor vehicle industry, from a cartridge containing the same by means of an associated cartridge pistol having a proximal product feed side comprising means for the detachably mounting a repair nozzle to the cartridge and a projecting collar for supporting the cartridge pistol, and having a distal product discharge side comprising a slot-shaped mouth opening for dispensing an adhesive and/or sealing bead, wherein the repair nozzle is utilized for the production, particularly for the readjustment and reconstitution of adhesive and/or sealing beads for structures in the motor vehicle industry.

This application is a continuation of international application PCT/EP2009/059461, filed on Jul. 23, 2009, which claims benefit of German Application 10 2008 047 234.4, filed on Sep. 12, 2008, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The present invention relates to a nozzle for producing, in particular for recreating and restoring, adhesive and/or sealant beads for structures in the automotive sector.

In automotive sector mass production such beads are applied automatically by application robots. The beads serve to adhesively bond sheet metal parts or insulation against noise or temperature, or are used for sealing. The robot nozzles used are as a rule made of metal and must have long service lives, to prevent failure of the application robot due to a defective robot nozzle during mass production. Subsequent application of adhesives and/or sealants for example to restore or recreate a defective structure in the automotive sector, in particular after an accident, is not possible with the known mode of application using a robot nozzle. The after market, in particular most auto shops, do not have the necessary application robot at their disposal. In addition, just purchasing a special robot nozzle for a specific application is not sensible for the after market, in particular the repair market, due to the high cost of a robot nozzle.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a nozzle for the after market and in particular for the repair market for discharging adhesives and/or sealants in the automotive sector, in order to restore and/or reproduce mass-produced structures.

This invention is achieved by the features of claim 1.

Advantageous configurations of the invention are indicated in the subclaims.

The basic concept behind the invention is the use of a repair nozzle to discharge adhesives and/or sealants usable in the automotive sector from a cartridge and/or a tubular bag or film pouch by means of an associated dispensing gun, such as for example a cartridge gun with a proximal product feed end, which comprises means for detachably fastening the nozzle to the cartridge and a projecting collar for resting on the cartridge gun and/or the cartridge itself, and with a distal product discharge end, which comprises a slot-shaped mouth orifice for discharging an adhesive and/or sealant bead.

The adhesives and/or sealants used are preferably high-viscosity adhesives and/or sealants which are conventionally used in particular in mass production in the automotive sector. These adhesives and/or sealants are contained in a cartridge. These cartridges may consist for example of a plastics material or of aluminum. In general, the cartridges comprise a cylindrical body, a movable piston being provided at one end for expressing the adhesive and/or sealant contained in the cartridge and an outlet orifice being provided at the opposite end for discharge of the adhesive and/or sealant. The piston is displaced by application of a force inside the cartridge, such that the adhesive and/or sealant may be discharged. It goes without saying that similar suitable containers known to a person skilled in the art are also used, in particular known tubular bags. In the case of the latter tubular bags, the use of a known adapter is suitable for fitting the nozzle according to the invention, such that the means for detachable fastening of the nozzle are not engaged with the tubular bag, but rather with the adapter.

Dispensing guns suitable for use, such as for example tubular bag and/or cartridge guns, are in particular pneumatic guns, in which the adhesive and/or sealant may be discharged from the cartridge via the nozzle by means a pneumatic system. These guns are particularly suitable for use with a repair nozzle according to the invention, since in most auto shops compressed air is available, so making power-saving discharge of the adhesive and/or sealant possible for the user. Particularly suitable for use is a special compressed air gun for ejecting pasty to low-viscosity material, as described in international patent application PCT/EP2006/004600. As far as the aspects relating to the cartridge gun are concerned, reference may be made to the stated citation, the disclosure content of which in this respect supplements the disclosure of the present patent application. It is also feasible to use purely mechanically acting cartridge guns known to a person skilled in the art. These are suitable for example for use in areas where no compressed air is available. However use of pneumatically acting cartridge guns is preferred, since in particular in the automotive sector highly pasty adhesives and/or sealants are often applied, such that the use of special pneumatic cartridge guns which are capable of generating higher expression pressures than purely mechanically acting guns is particularly suitable.

The repair nozzle is preferably made of plastics. Preferably, the repair nozzle is a disposable product. After discharge of the adhesive and/or sealant the nozzle is thus disposed of. Cleaning of the nozzle is not provided in this case, such that working time may be avoided and it is possible to do without further auxiliary or cleaning substances for removing adhesive and/or sealant residues. The means for detachably fastening the nozzle to the cartridge are preferably provided at the proximal product feed end. It may in particular be a threaded region, which may be brought into engagement with a corresponding threaded region of the cartridge in order to fasten the nozzle to the cartridge. In addition, a projecting collar is preferably provided in the region of the proximal product feed end for supporting the repair nozzle on the cartridge gun. To use the repair nozzle, the latter is preferably connected to a cartridge via said connecting means and inserted into the cartridge gun together with the cartridge. In this case, the repair nozzle preferably projects out of an orifice in the cartridge gun at least with its distal end. The orifice is dimensioned such that the collar of the repair nozzle may rest at the proximal end on the parts of the cartridge gun defining the orifice. The orifice is thus preferably smaller than the collar of the repair nozzle. When, in order to discharge the adhesive and/or sealant out of the cartridge, the latter is exposed to pressure via the cartridge gun, the cartridge with the repair nozzle is pressed in the direction of the distal product discharge end of the repair nozzle. As a result of the projecting collar of the repair nozzle, the repair nozzle comes to rest against the cartridge gun, such that displacement of the cartridge with the nozzle is prevented and the adhesive and/or sealant may be discharged via the repair nozzle.

The repair nozzle comprises a slot-shaped mouth orifice at the distal product discharge end, for discharging an adhesive and/or sealant bead. This slot-shaped mouth orifice has proven particularly advantageous for applying wide beads, the substrate being wetted over a wide area with said adhesive and/or sealant, such that an excellent adhesive and/or sealing effect may be achieved. Preferably, the adhesives and/or sealants are not applied with the repair nozzle to regions with large gap dimensions, such that the use of a slot-shaped mouth orifice is particularly suitable. The beads applied in the automotive sector using the repair nozzle according to the invention serve to adhesively bond sheet metal parts or insulation against noise or temperature, to absorb sound or vibrations or are used for sealing.

Use of a repair nozzle according to the invention brings many advantages. In particular, structures which have been produced automatically in the context of mass production in the automotive sector may be restored or recreated by auto shops for example in the case of repair in the after market and in particular in the repair market. Accident damage to such structures may in particular be repaired in this way. The use of an application robot, which is necessary in mass production for applying the adhesives and/or sealants to produce the structures, may be dispensed with. By using a repair nozzle according to the invention, the adhesives and/or sealants used as standard in the automotive sector and applied automatically in mass production may be applied subsequently in particular in the after market, such as for example in auto shops, in particular in the case of repair. The slot-shaped mouth orifice of the repair nozzle has further advantages. The slot-shaped design allows a specific adhesive and/or sealant bead to be discharged. The bead is relatively wide in relation to its height on account of the slot-shaped mouth orifice. The bead is a cleanly dimensioned rippled flat bead, i.e. the width and/or height and/or visual appearance of the bead correspond to the design of the adhesive and/or sealant bead as originally produced, which has hitherto been achieved solely by robot application. In the process, with the adhesive and/or sealant bead discharged by way of the repair nozzle there is additionally no overspray. The applicant thus obtains an adhesive and/or sealant bead with sharp, unfrayed edges. In addition, the slot-shaped mouth orifice may be used to provide an adhesive and/or sealing area which exhibits a continuous film and thus provides an improved adhesive bond or seal.

A further advantage of using a repair nozzle is that said nozzle is provided with a product channel for conveying the adhesive and/or sealant from the product feed end to the product discharge end and with an end cap formed on the product discharge end and comprising the slot-shaped mouth orifice, which end cap is curved in the distal direction of the nozzle. This shape has proven particularly advantageous. The product channel preferably tapers from the proximal product feed end towards the distal product discharge end, to increase the flow velocity of the adhesive and/or sealant within the product channel. A slight taper is also suitable for compensating the pressure drop experienced by the adhesive and/or sealant due to friction against the internal walls of the product channel. Providing the repair nozzle with an end cap curved in the direction of the distal product discharge end allows particularly simple manufacture of the repair nozzle. In particular, demolding of repair nozzles made from plastics using the injection molding process is simplified significantly by a curved end cap. In addition, a repair nozzle with a curved end cap exhibits excellent flow characteristics, such that the pressure drop experienced by the adhesive and/or sealant in the repair nozzle may be reduced. This nozzle shape is suitable particularly for applications in which no size adaptation of the sealant and/or adhesive bead has to be made. For example, a special repair nozzle is used, wherein the repair nozzle may be provided with a slot-shaped mouth orifice prefabricated for the adhesive and/or sealant to be discharged and/or for a particular instance of use. By using such a repair nozzle, the user may be provided in every case with the correct mouth orifice for the adhesive and/or sealant to be discharged and/or the instance of use, such that errors may be avoided.

A further advantage of using a curved end cap at the distal product discharge end is provision of the slot-shaped mouth orifice over a summit of curvature of the curved end cap. The summit of curvature should here be understood to mean the point of the curved end cap at which the end cap projects furthest in the distal direction of the repair nozzle. Extension of the slot-shaped mouth orifice over the summit of curvature is particularly advantageous from the point of view of flow. When the adhesive and/or sealant is discharged, due to the curvature of the slot-shaped mouth orifice it is also discharged sideways in places, such that the user obtains a product bead which is wider than purely the diameter of the repair nozzle in the region of the distal product discharge end without the curved end cap.

As an alternative to providing the repair nozzle with a curved end cap, the repair nozzle may also be provided with a product channel for conveying the adhesive and/or sealant from the product feed end to the product discharge end and with an end region formed on the product channel and comprising the slot-shaped mouth orifice, which end region extends trapezoidally in the distal direction, the base of the trapezoidal end region being arranged at the distal product discharge end. Here too the product channel preferably tapers from the proximal product feed end in the direction of the distal product discharge end, in order to increase the flow velocity of the adhesive and/or sealant inside the product channel and/or to compensate the pressure drop experienced by the adhesive and/or sealant due to friction against the internal walls of the product channel. Preferably the trapezoidal end region is hollow at the distal product discharge end, such that the base of the trapezoidal end region forms the slot-shaped mouth orifice at the distal product discharge end. It goes without saying that the slot-shaped mouth orifice may also be formed by only parts of the base. With an end region of this configuration, repair nozzles may be produced with particularly wide slot-shaped mouth orifices, for discharging very wide adhesive and/or sealant beads. The trapezoidal design of the end region has further advantages. It is feasible for the trapezoidal end region to be cut to size by the user, by cutting off parts of the end region in such a way that the trapezoidal end region no longer extends so far in the distal direction. Due to the trapezoidal design of the end region, cutting off a distal region of the end region is associated with a reduction in the size of the base of the end region. In the case of an above-described hollow end region, the above-described cutting to size would result in a reduction in the size of the slot-shaped mouth orifice which then extends over the base, which is new once the end region has been cut to size. The user is thus provided with a repair nozzle, wherein the slot-shaped orifice may be adapted to the product bead of adhesive and/or sealant to be discharged by cutting the end region to size. To this end, marks and/or inscriptions and/or preferred cutting lines for assisting with cutting off may be provided on the repair nozzle and in particular on the end region, at which cutting lines parts of the end region may be cut off by the user to obtain specific slot-shaped nozzle orifices. For the automotive sector in particular, a trapezoidal design of the end region has proven particularly advantageous, wherein the end region may be cut to size in such a way that a width of between 1 cm and 12 cm may be established for the slot-shaped mouth orifice. With such a region a multipurpose repair nozzle may be provided, which covers the most common bead widths in particular in the automotive sector and with which common structures may be restored and/or recreated.

A further advantage of providing the nozzle with a product channel is the rotationally symmetrical configuration, at least in places, of the product channel, wherein the axis of rotation extends from the proximal product feed end to the distal product discharge end.

A further advantage of the rotationally symmetrical configuration, at least in places, of the product channel is the provision of a slot-shaped mouth orifice which extends over the axis of rotation of the product channel.

A further advantage is the provision of a repair system for restoring structures in the automotive sector, consisting of a repair nozzle, a cartridge gun and a cartridge containing adhesives and/or sealants, the repair nozzle comprising a proximal product feed end and a distal product discharge end, wherein at the proximal product feed end means are provided for fitting to the cartridge containing an adhesive and/or sealant and a projecting collar is provided for resting on the cartridge gun and/or on the cartridge itself for discharging the adhesive and/or sealant from the cartridge and wherein a slot-shaped mouth orifice is provided at the distal product discharge end, for dispensing an adhesive and/or sealant bead for restoring and/or reproducing structures in the automotive sector. With such a system the user may recreate and/or restore automatically mass-produced structures without having to make use for example of an application robot.

The invention is explained in greater detail below by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a repair nozzle according to the invention with a curved end region

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a repair nozzle according to the invention with a trapezoidal end region

FIG. 3 shows a partially sectional side view of a repair system with a cartridge gun, a cartridge and the repair nozzle from FIG. 2.

FIG. 1 shows a repair nozzle 10 according to the invention, which is used to discharge adhesives and/or sealants usable in the automotive sector from a cartridge, not shown, containing them by means of an associated cartridge gun, not shown. The repair nozzle 10 comprises a proximal product feed end 11, with which the repair nozzle 10 may be fastened detachably to a cartridge, and a distal product discharge end 12 for discharging the adhesive and/or sealant onto a substrate. At the proximal product feed end 11 a product channel 14 is provided which is substantially rotationally symmetrical about an axis of rotation 15 at least in places. The product channel 14 constitutes a connection for the adhesive and/or sealant between the proximal product feed end 11 and the distal product discharge end 12. The product channel 14 comprises an internal thread, not shown, such that the repair nozzle 10 may be fitted on a cartridge with a corresponding external thread. To discharge the adhesive and/or sealant, an end cap 17 is provided at the distal product discharge end 12, which end cap comprises a slot-shaped mouth orifice 13 for discharging the adhesive and/or sealant. The end cap 17 is curved in the distal direction of the repair nozzle 10 and the slot-shaped mouth orifice 13 extends over the summit of curvature of the curved end cap 17. In the present exemplary embodiment the axis of rotation 15 additionally extends through the slot-shaped mouth orifice 13. With the slot-shaped mouth orifice 13 beads of adhesive and/or sealant may be discharged which have a small application height on the substrate compared with the application width. This has major advantages in particular for the adhesive bonding of components in the automotive sector, since the biggest possible area of the substrate should be provided with adhesive and/or sealant in order to achieve a sufficient adhesive and/or sealing effect, wherein the thickness of the adhesive and/or sealant layer should be kept as small as possible. By using the curved end cap 17 and as a result of the profile of the slot-shaped mouth orifice 13 over the summit of curvature of the end cap 17, it is additionally possible to ensure discharge of a relatively wide bead, since the adhesive and/or sealant can be discharged at the end regions of the slot-shaped mouth orifice 13 not only in the axial direction relative to the axis of rotation 15, but also in part radially outwards relative to the axis of rotation 15. Furthermore, at the proximal product feed end 11 a collar 16 is provided which projects radially outwards relative to the axis of rotation 15 and serves to support the repair nozzle 10 against a cartridge gun and/or against the cartridge itself.

FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of a repair nozzle 20 with a proximal product feed end 21 and a distal product discharge end 22. At the product discharge end 22 the repair nozzle 20 comprises a product channel 24 which is rotationally symmetrical about an axis of rotation 25. A trapezoidal end region 27 adjoins the product channel 24 in the direction of the distal product discharge end 22, which trapezoidal end region comprises a slot-shaped mouth orifice 23. The trapezoidal end region 27 is configured such that a base 28 is arranged at the distal product discharge end 22. The slot-shaped mouth orifice 23 extends over the base 28 of the trapezoidal end region. Furthermore, at the proximal product feed end 21 a collar 26 is provided which projects radially outwards relative to the axis of rotation 25 and serves to support the repair nozzle 20 against a cartridge gun. The trapezoidal end region 27 comprises a plurality of cutting lines 29 arranged on the surface parallel to the base 28. These cutting lines 29 constitute marks at which the user may cut off parts of the trapezoidal end region 27. Because of the trapezoidal shape of the end region 27, cutting off a part at the distal product discharge end 22 is associated with a reduction in size of the base 28. Accordingly, cutting off a part of the trapezoidal end region 27 results, by reducing the size of the base 28, also in a reduction in size of the slot-shaped mouth orifice 23 which extends over the base 28. In this way, by cutting off parts of the trapezoidal end region 27 the user may vary the size of the slot-shaped mouth orifice 23 to adjust it to the adhesive and/or sealant to be discharged or the size of the desired bead.

The repair system shown in FIG. 3 for recreating and/or restoring structures in the automotive sector consists of the trapezoidal repair nozzle 20 shown in FIG. 2, a cartridge gun 100 and a cartridge 113 containing an adhesive and/or sealant 115. It goes without saying that another repair nozzle 20 may also be used, for example a repair nozzle shown in FIG. 1 with an end cap formed on the product discharge end and comprising the slot-shaped mouth orifice, which end cap is curved in the distal direction of the nozzle.

The cartridge gun 100 comprises a handle 101, which makes it possible for the user to operate and guide the cartridge gun 100. To this end the handle 101 includes a grip region 106, which may be provided with non-slip means or have an ergonomic shape, to provide the user with a reliable hold when working with the system. The handle 101 is provided with a mount region 104 at which a receiving unit 103 is joined to the handle 101. The receiving unit 103 has a hollow cylindrical shape and serves to receive the cartridge 113 filled with the adhesive and/or sealant 115 to be discharged. Product is discharged at a delivery end 110 of the receiving unit 103. To this end a metering device 102 is provided on the handle 101, by means of which the user can regulate discharge of the adhesive and/or sealant 115 contained in the cartridge 113. In the present exemplary embodiment the cartridge gun 100 is pneumatically acting, wherein discharge of the adhesive and/or sealant 115 is made possible by the use of compressed air. To this end a compressed air port 107 is provided on the handle 101. The user may connect a pressure medium, for example a compressor, to this compressed air port 107. The pressure is regulated by a pressure regulator 108 fixed to the handle 101. Using a manometer 109 provided on the handle 101 the user may read off the pressure applied to the cartridge gun 100 and adjusted via the pressure regulator 108. To regulate the pressure for discharge of the adhesive and/or sealant 115 the metering unit 102 may be operated by means of an actuating lever 105, which is mounted on the handle 101 and may be pivoted towards the handle 101. Discharge of the adhesive and/or sealant 115 located in the cartridge 113 may be regulated by way of the degree of pivoting of the actuating lever 105 and the air pressure established at the pressure regulator 108. In the receiving unit 103 a propelling element, not shown, is provided for discharging the adhesive and/or sealant 115, which propelling element may be displaced inside the receiving unit 103. By applying pressure to the propelling element, the latter is displaced and forces the cartridge 113 arranged in the receiving unit 103, with the adhesive and/or sealant 115 to be discharged, towards the delivery end 110 of the receiving unit 103. The receiving unit 103 comprises a closing cap 111 at the delivery end 110. In the present exemplary embodiment this closing cap 111 is connected via a screw thread to the cylindrical receiving unit 103 and comprises an orifice 112 aligned concentrically with the hollow-cylindrical shape of the receiving unit 103. Via this orifice 112 the adhesive and/or sealant 115 may be discharged from the cartridge 113 located in the receiving unit 103. In addition, in the present exemplary embodiment the orifice 112 in a system in which a trapezoidal repair nozzle 20 is used is configured such that it comprises slots extending radially outwards relative to the closing cap 111, which slots are dimensioned such that, where a trapezoidal repair nozzle 20 is fitted, the closing cap 111 may be pushed over the trapezoidal end region 27 of the repair nozzle 20 for fitting to the receiving unit 103.

To prepare the system to start work, the repair nozzle 20 is connected to the cartridge 113. To this end the cartridge 113 comprises an external thread 114, which may be brought into engagement with a corresponding internal thread on the product channel 24 of the repair nozzle 20. To start working with the system, the cartridge 113 is introduced into the cavity in the receiving unit 113 in such a way that the repair nozzle 20 projects out of the receiving unit 103. The closing cap 111 is then pushed over the trapezoidal end region 27 of the repair nozzle 20 and connected to the receiving unit 103 by way of the above-described screw fastening. When fitted the repair nozzle 20 projects with the product channel 24 through the orifice 111 out of the receiving unit 113. By applying pressure to the propelling element, not shown, for discharging the adhesive and/or sealant 115, the cartridge 113 is forced towards the delivery end 110 and rests against the closing cap 111. To ensure secure retention of the repair nozzle 20, it is provided with the collar 26. Said collar is larger than the orifice 112 in the closing cap 111, such that in the event of movement of the cartridge 113 resulting from the pressure introduced and thus also of the repair nozzle 20 it may also be ensured that the repair nozzle 20 rests against the closing cap 111. Due to said resting arrangement, the pressure applied does not move the cartridge 113 together with the repair nozzle 20, but rather moves the propelling element inside the cartridge 113, such that the adhesive and/or sealant 115 is pressed out of the cartridge 113, enters the product channel 24 of the repair nozzle 20 and may finally be discharged via the slot-shaped mouth orifice 23. To adjust the desired bead width for adhesive and/or sealant 115, the user may remove regions of the repair nozzle 20 predetermined by means of the cutting lines 29 on the trapezoidal end region 27 and corresponding to the structure to be recreated and/or to the adhesive and/or sealant 115, such that, due to the trapezoidal design of the end region 27, the mouth orifice 23 becomes smaller the more the user removes from the trapezoidal end region 27. With the present system very wide beads of adhesive and/or sealant 115 may be discharged due to the use of a repair nozzle 20 with a slot-shaped mouth orifice 23, wherein the bead height may be kept as small as possible. Beads applied in this way with as large as possible a wetting area of the substrate allow excellent adhesive bonding and/or sealing and enable restoration and/or recreation of automatically produced structures in the automotive sector. 

1. A repair nozzle for discharging adhesives and/or sealants usable in the automotive sector from a cartridge containing them by means of an associated cartridge gun, having a proximal product feed end, which comprises means for detachably fastening the repair nozzle to the cartridge and a projecting collar for resting on the cartridge gun, and having a distal product discharge end, which comprises a slot-shaped mouth orifice for discharging an adhesive and/or sealant bead.
 2. The repair nozzle according to claim 1, wherein a product channel is provided, for conveying the adhesive and/or sealant from the product feed end to the product discharge end, and an end cap comprising the slot-shaped mouth orifice is formed on the product discharge end, which is curved in the distal direction of the repair nozzle.
 3. The repair nozzle according to claim 2, wherein the slot-shaped mouth orifice extends over a summit of curvature of the curved end cap.
 4. The repair nozzle according to claim 1, wherein a product channel is provided, for conveying the adhesive and/or sealant from the product feed end to the product discharge end, and an end region comprising the slot-shaped mouth orifice is formed on the product channel, which extends trapezoidally in the distal direction, the base of the trapezoidal end region being arranged at the distal product discharge end.
 5. The repair nozzle according to claim 2, wherein the product channel is configured at least in places to be rotationally symmetrical about an axis of rotation.
 6. The repair nozzle according to claim 5, wherein the slot-shaped mouth orifice extends over the axis of rotation of the product channel.
 7. A repair system for restoring structures in the automotive sector, consisting of a repair nozzle, a cartridge gun and a cartridge containing adhesives and/or sealants, the repair nozzle comprising a proximal product feed end and a distal product discharge end, wherein at the proximal product feed end means are provided for fitting to the cartridge containing the adhesive and/or sealant and a projecting collar is provided for resting on the cartridge gun for discharging the adhesive and/or sealant from the cartridge and a slot-shaped mouth orifice is provided at the distal product discharge end, for dispensing an adhesive and/or sealant bead for restoring structures in the automotive sector. 